Knee decisions — 2022

The Board has decided to remand the cases for further development and examination due to inadequate information regarding the Veteran's left knee disability, specifically instability and range of motion.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been reopened and are granted. The Board finds that new and material evidence has been received to reopen the claims of service connection for low back disorder, heart disorder (to include as secondary to service-connected disability), acquired psychiatric disorder (including depression and PTSD) (to include as secondary to service-connected disability), left knee disorder, and sleep apnea (to include as secondary to service-connected disability).

The Veteran's claim for service connection for amputation of the right leg above the knee is being remanded due to procedural issues. The eligibility for financial assistance in the purchase of an automobile with adaptive equipment is also being remanded.

The Board has granted service connection for left knee strain and lumbosacral strain and degenerative arthritis of the spine, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are at least as likely as not related to his military service.,Service connection was denied for tinnitus due to a lack of evidence linking the condition to military noise exposure.

The Veteran's service connection claims for various conditions are denied as there is no evidence of a current disability or a link to service.

A 40 percent rating is granted for degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine prior to October 22, 2014.,A 60 percent rating and no higher is granted for left total knee replacement with degenerative joint disease and strain from October 1, 2015.,A separate 10 percent rating based on limited extension is granted for left knee osteoarthritis prior to August 18, 2014.

The Veteran's claim for increased evaluations of his bilateral knee disabilities was denied. The effective date for the 10 percent ratings assigned in August 2018 is not earlier than May 10, 2018.

The Board has remanded the case due to inconsistencies in a previous VA examiner's opinion and for obtaining additional treatment records. The Veteran's right knee disorder is being reviewed again to determine if it is related to his military service.

The Board has granted service connection for a right knee arthropathy and remanded the issue of an increased rating in excess of 70 percent for PTSD.

The Board has decided to remand the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for his right knee and lumbar spine disabilities, as well as his TDIU claim due to inadequate examinations in previous years. The claims will be returned to the AOJ for further development.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for right knee DJD, left knee DJD, and lumbar disorder have been denied. The RO has continued the existing 10 percent ratings for these conditions.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities have rendered him unable to obtain and follow a substantially gainful occupation since September 19, 2020.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for an addendum VA medical opinion regarding the Veteran's right knee disorder.

The Veteran's service-connected right knee disability and scars do not preclude him from securing or following substantially gainful employment, as he can perform sedentary work.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to missing service treatment records and military personnel records, particularly those from the Veteran's deployment in Germany during the Cold War. The Veteran claims his right knee condition is related to an injury sustained while running PT exercises.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for a left knee disability and sacroiliac joint dysfunction have been granted. The claim for cervical neck disability is remanded, as are the requests for increased ratings for right knee and right hip disabilities.

The Board has granted a separate 20 percent rating for right knee instability effective August 8, 2022. The Veteran's right knee symptoms and functional impairment associated with instability most closely approximate moderate instability.

The Veteran's left knee instability is rated at 10 percent, and the Board has remanded this issue due to a duty-to-assist error.,The Veteran's left foot plantar fasciitis is rated at 20 percent under Diagnostic Code 5276 for moderate flatfoot with pain on manipulation and use of the feet. The case is being remanded as well.

The Board finds that a remand is necessary to cure the pre-decisional error in the July 2019 VA examination report and afford the Veteran another examination to determine the current nature and severity of his service-connected right knee disability, including if current findings contradict those from prior examinations.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for additional development due to procedural errors and the need for further medical examinations.